By Mark Rasdall

Like many Leeds United fans I woke up yesterday morning with a fresh spring in my step. We had finally signed two genuine wingers with 'pace to burn' by all accounts and who would give us width and finally decent service to Matt Smith. I hadn't expected both of them to play from the start but did think they'd appear at Sheffield Wednesday at some point.

For fans of LUFC it is never dull and things rarely run according to the best-laid plans or expectations. Stewart and Kebe both started the game - despite some initial and understandable concerns about their fitness levels, familiarity with the team and so on - but Matt Smith was left on the bench. We were sort of playing a back three with Peltier and Pugh pushing on to give us width we should surely now have had in abundance?

I can't dwell on what happened next as the images are too stark and upsetting. Alcohol has helped to dull the pain but still the horror film rolls at the back of my mind...

I trust Brian McDermott implicitly. I like him and like the respect he shows for others but I didn't understand his tactics yesterday. To me it smacked of the terrible run of form we've had recently and him getting carried away with having not one but two wingers that we've all been crying out for since he arrived last season. I think he truly believed we would blow both Sheffield Wednesday away and also those lingering doubts that had formed during December and the early days of 2014.

For me, there are three things that need addressing:

1. We had resorted to playing a long ball game largely for two reasons: firstly, our defence were running scared and just wanted to clear their lines quickly each time and, secondly, we had a giant of a striker up front who surely would get on the end of something and magically make things happen for the team. I'll come back to the defence but just to say yet again that Matt Smith is learning the game and has much still to learn! The expectation and pressure that a long ball game puts on any target man is immense and I think he felt that keenly when he finally came on yesterday. Youthful naivety and aggression in the form of 'rough 'em up a bit Matt and grab us an early goal' proved disastrous and we'll never know whether an assumed 4-4-2 would have worked any better against the Owls or not. Smith won't be back for three games and I'm really hoping we can try a midfield passing approach with width and speed down the wings before he returns and we are tempted to slip back into a 'give it to Matt quickly' approach. Against Leicester and Ipswich, though they are tough games to follow the thrashing, we really have no alternative but to try something different but also less cavalier than yesterday.

2. The defence is clearly shell-shocked, hence the 'get rid quick' approach. For me this began against Nottingham Forest. Halford should never have been allowed to ghost in behind three big centre-halfs and get to the ball, let alone a header on target. I don't think our defence has really recovered from this one aberration. In that game we suffered a bombardement, got back into it and still lost to a wonder strike. Our midfield went missing or failed to hold on to the ball time and time again. If you add all of that up in a defender's mind you get to a point of uncertainty and insecurity - certainly not a safe platform to build on.

3. If the defence is psychologically damaged, the midfield is struggling with existentialism. Austin has really struggled lately. Only he and Brian will know if the captaincy is too much for him. Whether it is or not, his form has been erratic. Mowatt is, like Smith, young and still learning. I really believe he will be a tremendous player but am also concerned that we'll overplay him like Byram last season and/or he will have too much responsibility too young and apparent disappointment apportioned to him will cause him to leave for a club that will truly nurture such a talent as happened with Lennon.

I personally would make Jason Pearce the captain. I think he and Paddy Kenny have been our most consistent performers this season. I also think captaincy from the back is always preferable in terms of reading the game and the players' performances. Pearce is playing with Zaliukas and Lees or Wootton. Zaliukas's confidence has clearly deserted him while Lees and Wootton are excellent prospects but need their confidence restoring.

To aid Pearce in his captaincy and the entire defence in their difficult period I would play a version of the diamond with a traditional back four comprising Byram on the right, Pearce and one from Lees, Wootton or Zaliukas in the centre, and Warnock on the left. We have Peltier and Pugh as alternatives and can be brought in or out according to injuries and/or changes required in the game when we need to push on or hold on.

I'd play two defensive midfielders in front of them from Austin, Tonge and Brown - or younger but experienced players bought to play in that same position. Our defence desperately needed additional protection yesterday and I think this would begin to address their confidence issues. They were just hopelessly exposed, quite apart from not operating as an organized unit. If Austin or Tonge need to support the attack then the defence still has some midfield presence in front of it. If either full back goes forward then one of the defensive midfielders fills the space. Again, it means we aren't left with an exposed back three fearing the worst.

Ahead of them I'd have three with Kebe and Stewart wide when they get fit and one from Murphy or Mowatt in the middle. Mowatt's confidence will improve from knowing their are two behind him and hopefully Murphy's creativity will finally flourish consistently. In the meantime both could play until our new wide men are ready, or can be mixed up during a match if we need injections of speed which Poleon could also supply.

I'd have Ross up front with an option of bringing Matt Smith in during a game and sacrificing a defensive midfielder if the game was running away from us.

There are no doubt lots of reasons why this might not work but I believe it would give the team a better balance and shape and buy time to get over the nightmares. We saw in the first part of the season that we have decent squad, now supplemented by width. I wonder if we don't still need better quality in midfield but also am a believer in developing the players we have - and I'm delighted that McDermott is trying to do this while not overplaying that youthful talent.

It's tough at the moment but we march on. Sacking the manager is absurd. Under Warnock and, in the later days, Grayson, I felt laziness and complacency had set in. I don't think that is the case here but I do think confidence (and I include Brian in this) had already gone before yesterday's mis-match and only patience and long-term planning is going to really make a difference. Yes there will be freak results from time to time but yesterday's is still thankfully consigned to a relatively small sample such as the 5.0 to Barnsley or the 3.7 to Forest or the 7.1 at Stoke...

We have all got ideas and opinions about players andformations but 2 things are obvious. After watching Austin for a season and a half he is clearly not good enough to give us the midfield control we are lacking. As for Matt Smith he simply lacks ability. He has no pace or anticipation and is just too one dimensional. We need a midfield player with more pace to allow Mowatt and Murphy who have little pace to play. Also Ross has played his best football alongside a striker with movement and nous, eg Keogh or Bllackstock. The squad has neither of these types at the moment.

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gill

11/1/2014 11:44:38 pm

Good article. Agree with everything, including the formation ideas. Still not convinced by Austin, I'm afraid, and would really have liked us to have brought in another mid-fielder. Why are we not trying young Dawson ? I would also have liked us to have got Wells, who I think would have provided some much missing creativity. BUT, we didn't, so why not try Arybi with Ross, and with Smith, and even with Poleon - just to see if we have some alternatives. I think one problem we have is that we have become too predictable, which even Ross can't overcome some games. Teams did their homework on us and now have good plans for suffocating us. If we had some variations in attack then we could at least create doubt - or even confusion - in defenders minds, a a little doubt is all it takes to make a goal.

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stevie b

11/1/2014 11:48:23 pm

I agree in Leeds through and through onto the next match cmon lets get behind mcdermot

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Connor Gallagher

12/1/2014 12:14:29 am

I like Brian Mcdermott and think everyone should get behind him and the team but when is he going to realise austin is not good enough to be in the team let alone be captain

The defence needs stabilising two in centre defence, the behaviour of the Wednesday players in trying to get Smith sent off was disgraceful,
Brian has got the best out of McCormack Mowett etc, he seems to know what he is doing BUT made terrible mistake in playing two match unfit newcomers

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Joe

12/1/2014 01:08:04 am

Agree with chrisb completely. I can't believe that a manager of McDermott's experience hasn't realised that Austin can't tackle and can't pass. Murphy is far better and should be playing every match. As for Matt Smith, it's even more obvious that he belongs at a much lower level. I used to manage a kids team and there were better players in that, and I'm not joking. While we are playing the likes of Austin and Smith we'll never be more than a mid table Championship team.

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hammer

12/1/2014 03:22:03 pm

Cant tackle?? have a word with yourself and stop believing everything you read on the internet.

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Joe

14/1/2014 07:44:15 pm

Been going since 1976 sonny, and following Leeds since the 1960s. I've seen players who can tackle. My observations are based on watching live football since way before you were slobbering over the internet. So you "have a word with yourself".

Rob

12/1/2014 02:24:25 am

What about the fact that you were completely outclassed by your Yorkshire neighbours and they deserve the credit!? Just a thought.

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Hooch

12/1/2014 03:52:45 am

Did you watch the game, I think not. Wednesday deserved to win but the are nit good and, actually, didn't need to be to beat us.

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Phil

12/1/2014 05:00:29 am

Nobody's claiming that Leeds weren't outclassed. We absolutely were. However, it's bloody embarrassing to lose in such a manner to a club as cack as yours so naturally Leeds fans are going to discuss how we avoid again...

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Jimbo

12/1/2014 02:46:11 am

Agree wholeheartedly. Give McDermot the time he needs, an please drop Austin! It's no coincidence that our most successful periods in history have featured two outstanding captains in the heart I midfield (Bremner and Strachan). I've got nothing against Austin effort and desire, he's just not goo enough. Let's not forget Wilko was in pretty much the same predicament when he brought Strachan to Leeds. I've to Brian to unearth our new midfield general an build from the heart of the team. Everything else is futile.

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craig sansom

12/1/2014 03:30:50 am

Think we should thank Mr Warnock for replacing the one decent midfielder we had last year for a paltry sum . I of course am talking about Adam Clayton who had both ability and long term potential and service. Not much could have been done to keep Snoddy ( we did our best contract wise ) , but Clayton should have been kept.

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Keith

12/1/2014 03:31:48 am

Good article and agree with a lot you say but if your going back to basics stick with a 4-4-2 give individual players their jobs, do away with 'zonal marking' and remind the players what a honour it is to play for a team like Leeds. We might not be famous anymore but nobody ignores us. The most upsetting thing for me that for four years we've been on the end of hammerings. This needs to stop it's in the players hands now and if they don't deliver and another manager goes they will be the only people to blame. Billy Bremner never gave up the fight and neither should they.

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oldcomrade

12/1/2014 04:23:35 am

Yes i agree, get back to 4-4-2 and do the basics right, stop the hoofball starting with Kenny, he's allowed to roll the ball out to feet now and then , maybe nobodys told him !! . take the captaincy off Austin, he's got no leadership skills, stick with Smith but ffs show him how to use his feet.Now we have a couple of wide players (hopefully they will soon be fit) get the ball to feet,pass and move its basic and easy and it works, ask the Dee Dahs, it worked for thm big style......

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John Stanley

12/1/2014 04:51:48 am

Where do I start. How long is it since Leeds actually performed on the pitch? Results, well many a manager would have lost his job already. Brian McDermott, has lost it. Time for stability. Get rid before we get relegated. Brian's tactics are crap. Playing, players who are unfit, have not trained with the team. Away from home, first get the stable door shut, then build. Confidence is low, no wonder Brian, is inexperienced, too nice a guy, time for grit not s**t.

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Andy Mason

12/1/2014 05:03:05 am

Biggest thing(s) that need changing, in no particular order...

1 New keeper, Kenny has zero presence in the area and has let some pretty weak goals in this season.
2. Formation. We dont have the pace or quality to play three at the back. 4-1-3-2. tighten up the defense, options out wide for supplying the front two.

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nottswhite

12/1/2014 05:12:20 am

Everyone seems to have forgotten about Paul Green? (returned to training this week i think) He should be starting a long side Murphy and Austin needs have a fucking break! He started really well and faded badly around january last season and its happened again this year.
We should go back to the 4-2-3-1 we played under Grayson. Stewart, Mowatt and Kebe should play as a 3 behind McCormack. Smiths red card will give us a chance to play the ball on the ground for a change.
The difference between the 2 teams yesterday was that one played the ball around comfortably and the other spent the game hoofing it up to a tiny striker. That and McDermotts laughable 3-4-3 formation after what happened at Rochdale. As the egg said, back to basics. now.

McDermott has to take the blame for this latest debacle.The defence is a shambles and the midfield gets run over every week.
Then to play two wingers without an out and out striker.What was he thinking?

saw lufc in a friendy at harrogate town,town won 3-1,could easily have been 6-1,leeds played six first teamers wotten was crap, hunt was as much use as a chocolate fire guard, there was just no passion or fight in the team huddersfield spend 1.5 million on nakki wells what do we spend bugger all, whats happened about chris burke bring on leicester oh dear.

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